Azores juniper (cedro-do-mato)

Juniperus brevifolia

A slow, wind-proof juniper found only on the misty Azorean uplands; blackbirds take its berry-like cones.

Type: small tree · native and wild plants
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 15 ft tall, 8 ft wide
From: Azores
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: wildlife, screens and hedges.

Native to: Atlantic islands (Macaronesia). Hardy in zones 9 to 11.

The story

Cedro-do-mato grows only on the Azores, on windy ridges and in the boggy uplands above the clouds. Its tough, fragrant wood framed island houses, boats and churches for centuries, until so much was cut that it is now protected and replanted.

Planting

Full sun in acid, moist, free-draining soil. It takes salt spray and wind, so it makes a natural windbreak. Plant small, container-grown plants in autumn.

Growing

Very slow. Keep the roots moist in the first summers and keep grass from crowding it. No pruning needed; it shapes itself in the wind.

Harvest and use

Grown for shelter, beauty and birds, not for food. Blackbirds and other birds eat the berry-like cones in autumn.

What to watch for

Heat and long droughts stress it; it wants cool, misty summers. Do not plant it in heavy, waterlogged clay.

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More native and wild plants

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home